Wall Street
1987 · Directed by Oliver Stone
Original language: English
- crime
- drama
The story
A young and impatient stockbroker is willing to do anything to get to the top, including trading on illegal inside information taken through a ruthless and greedy corporate raider, who takes the youth under his wing.
What it’s like
Hard-edged 1980s Manhattan rendered in glossy, saturated surfaces: glass towers reflecting a flat afternoon sky, cramped trading floors under humming fluorescents, and the bright, expensive interiors of penthouses and yachts contrasted against the grimier boroughs and a blue-collar father's apartment. The camera is restless, with fast handheld moves, quick cuts and a jittery sense of ambition, while the score leans on synth pulse and driving rock that makes the city feel like an engine running hot. Vibe: slick, feverish, morally sour, with a seductive gloss over real unease. It suits a late-night watch when you want energy and cynicism rather than comfort, or a stretch of background noise that still keeps you leaning in. The intensity is moderate: some shouting, a car crash and a brief scuffle, with tense confrontations rather than gore, and sexual content kept brief and incidental. The arc follows a hungry young man who gradually trades his conscience for money, a story of seduction and slow corruption. It is for viewers who enjoy tense, talky dramas about power and greed and don't need anyone to be likeable.
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